Bone Microarchitecture at the Radius: a Pilot Comparison Between Children With Cystic Fibrosis and Healthy Controls

Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects an estimated 30,000 people in the United States and is caused by a mutation in the gene encoding a protein called CF transmembrane regulator (CFTR). The hallmarks of CF are recurrent pulmonary exacerbations and declining pulmonary function. However, there are other problems in CF that affect both health and quality of life. These include CF related diabetes, liver disease, and bone disease. The median age of survival for patients with CF has been increasing steadily and is currently more than 37 years. With this improvement in life expectancy, it has become increasingly important to address the long-term complications of CF.

Currently, patients with CF are evaluated annually for bone disease with dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and screening usually starts at age 12. However, this may not be sufficient to detect early bone changes that may impact fracture risk. Furthermore, bone disease in children may manifest earlier than adolescence, which would suggest that screening should start at an earlier age in these vulnerable patients. The following study is therefore proposed to examine the potential role of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) as a screening approach for bone disease in children with CF. The investigators expect to find bone problems by pQCT but not DXA.